Track and field competition has long included running events involving hurdles which are vertical barriers that are to be negotiated by the runners. Normally, there are a plurality of spaced hurdles that must be negotiated during the course of a race. Those events which involve shorter distances in the sprint range are commonly referred to as hurdle events. Longer distance races, which in addition to hurdles may have water jumps, are commonly termed steeplechase events.
In both hurdle events and steeplechase events, the specified height of the hurdles may vary in different events. For example, the height of the crossbar may range from about 30 inches to about 42 inches. Events where the height of the hurdles is in the lower portion of this range are often termed low hurdle events, and where the height is in the upper portion of this range are often termed high hurdle events. In addition, somewhat different heights of the hurdles are specified for men's and women's events and for youth competition. For virtually all events, hurdle heights are one of five heights represented by three (3) inch increments from 30 inches to 42 inches, i.e., 30 inches, 33 inches, 36 inches, 39 inches or 42 inches.
Some years ago, there were only two basic hurdle heights, one for low hurdle events and one for high hurdle events. At that time, most hurdles had a pivoting member with a crossbar which when pivoted upwardly relative to the frame was the correct height for high hurdle events and when pivoted downwardly had a second crossbar at the correct height for low hurdle events. More recently, with the advent of additional hurdle heights for different events, efforts have been made to design hurdles which can be adjusted to the full range of heights discussed above. This normally results in the use of telescoping members with the internal member having a projecting spring loaded plunger and the external member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures for receiving the plunger and placing the crossbar at any selected one of the various operating heights.
Besides the increasing number of height positions, the primary additional requirement of competition hurdles is that the weight and balance of the hurdle be such that the resisting or pullover force be of specified magnitudes on the order of 6 to 8 pounds. This represents a continuous horizontal pulling force applied to the center of the crossbar in the direction of a runner's progress. In order to achieve the necessary pullover force for different hurdle heights, it is normally necessary that one or more movable counterweights be variably positioned along the feet or legs of the hurdle to effect this adjustment. This necessity for more height adjustments and for movable counterweights has made competition hurdles more complex, more expensive and more subject to damage or operational defects.
The increased cost and susceptibility to damage has, in some cases, limited access to competition hurdles for training and practice purposes. As a result, in at least some instances, coaches and athletes have resorted to makeshift devices, such as poles horizontally positioned on end supports, to simulate hurdles. In addition, modern training theories have given rise to demands for different training equipment. While training techniques formerly contemplated that essentially all practice activity take place using hurdles set only at competition heights, more recently there is substantial interest in conducting practice drills and training exercises for hurdle events and other track and field events with a hurdle crossbar at a variety of different heights which are frequently nonstandard heights and heights which are substantially below the lowest competitive height of 30 inches. Since competition hurdles cannot be employed for these purposes, there is a necessity for resorting to makeshift devices to provide the necessary equipment. To the present time, there is no commercially available equipment which meets the operational and cost parameters necessary for an adjustable hurdle which can be employed particularly for training purposes.